The present invention relates generally to systems for tracking and evaluating the service history of electronic network components. The present invention relates more specifically to systems for tracking the history of network modules through the use of memory elements associated with the modules and using the information to evaluate the reliability of the modules and the network as a whole.
Computer and telecommunication networks are ubiquitous in modern society. From emails within a small office to international telephone calls, nearly every form of electronic communication depends on some form of electronic network. With the dependence comes a need for greater reliability.
Networks include many components, or modules, that in one way or another facilitate the transmission of signals. Thus, the reliability of the network is a function of the reliability of the individual network modules. Therefore, to provide progressively more reliable electronic networks, systems are needed that more rigorously gather and analyze data associated with network modules. However, network modules may be distributed across vast geographic distances, making the tasks of gathering, tracking, and monitoring module data difficult.
Among other things, the present invention provides systems and methods that monitor the service history of network modules. Furthermore, the present invention provides the service history irrespective of the geographic distribution of the network. The present invention also provides reliability analyses tools that analyze service history data to evaluate network and module reliability.